The Almond Board of California has reported that total shipments of its nuts were up by 18 per cent during the 2007/08 campaign, as demand continues to increase across key markets such as western Europe and Asia.

Global shipments amounted to 571,500 tonnes, from a total harvest of 625,950 tonnes – a yield 24 per cent higher than the 2006/07 season, according to Foodnavigator.com.

Western European countries led the way in terms of imports, with 54 per cent of exported Californian almonds heading to countries such as Spain and Germany.

Elsewhere, Asian nations such as China, Japan and India accounted for around 23 per cent of exports, with the nut most commonly used with confectionary.

The upward trend in sales is expected to continue in 2008/09, according to the Almond Board of California, with a 680,388 tonnes crop expected from around 267,000ha of production.

Brand-building via e-commerce, reaching out to new consumers in tier-two and -three cities, and managing future market growth projections in China were some of the hot topics discussed at Asiafruit Market Insight

The Indian business continues to defy the odds, registering sharp growth amid major hurdles. But with the right approaches, it can become so much bigger, heard delegates to last week’s Fresh Produce India